Imaging device having an optical image stabilizer

ABSTRACT

An imaging device includes an image stabilizer which detects vibration applied to a photographing optical system and moves at least one optical element of the photographing optical system in a plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of the photographing optical system to counteract image shake in accordance with a direction and a magnitude of the vibration; and a radially-retracting device which moves the optical element between a photographing position, at which the optical element is located on the common optical axis in a photographic state, and a radially-retracted position, at which the optical element is radially retracted away from the common optical axis in a non-photographing state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an imaging device, more specificallyrelates to an imaging device having an optical image stabilizer forcounteracting image shake due to vibrations such as hand shake (camerashake).

2. Description of the Related Art

Imaging devices such as cameras which come with image stabilization orvariants such as anti-shake for preventing image shake from occurring onan imaging surface when vibrations such as hand shake is applied to theimaging device are in practical use. However, such imaging deviceshaving an optical image stabilizer (optical shift image stabilizer) areprone to being bulky and heavy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a compact and lightweight imaging devicehaving an optical image stabilizer.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an imaging device isprovided, including an image stabilizer which detects vibration appliedto a photographing optical system and moves at least oneimage-stabilizing optical element of the photographing optical system ina plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of the photographing opticalsystem, in a photographic state, to counteract image shake in accordancewith a direction and a magnitude of the vibration; and aradially-retracting device which moves the image-stabilizing opticalelement between a photographing position, at which the image-stabilizingoptical element is located on the common optical axis in thephotographic state, and a radially-retracted position, at which theimage-stabilizing optical element is radially retracted away from thecommon optical axis in a non-photographing state.

It is desirable for the image stabilizer to support theimage-stabilizing optical element in a manner to allow theimage-stabilizing optical element to move in two different directions ina plane orthogonal to the common optical axis. The radially-retractingdevice moves the image-stabilizing optical element in one of the twodifferent directions.

It is desirable for the two different directions to include two lineardirections orthogonal to each other on the plane orthogonal to thecommon optical axis.

It is desirable for the image stabilizer and the radially-retractingdevice to include a common linear guide shaft which extends in adirection perpendicular to the common optical axis and which supportsthe image-stabilizing optical element in a manner to allow theimage-stabilizing optical element to move along the common linear guideshaft.

When the image-stabilizing optical element is in the radially-retractedposition, it is desirable for another optical element to enter a spacein which the image-stabilizing optical element is positioned when in thephotographing position.

It is desirable for this other optical element to be positioned in frontof the image-stabilizing optical element on the common optical axis inthe photographic state.

It is desirable for the image-stabilizing optical element to include animage sensor positioned at an imaging position of the photographingoptical system.

It is desirable for the image sensor to be connected to a flexible PWBallowing the image sensor to move in a housing of the imaging device.

It is desirable for the image-stabilizing optical element to include arearmost optical element of the photographing optical system.

It is desirable for the radially-retracting device to move theimage-stabilizing optical element between the photographing position andthe radially-retracted position in a radial direction of the commonoptical axis.

In an embodiment, an imaging device is provided, including aphotographing optical system including at least one movable opticalelement; and a motion guiding device which supports the movable opticalelement to allow the movable optical element to move in a firstdirection and a second direction in a plane orthogonal to a commonoptical axis of the photographing optical system, the first directionand the second direction being non-parallel to each other. The motionguiding device guides the movable optical element in one of the firstdirection and the second direction to allow the movable optical elementto move between a photographing position in which the movable opticalelement is located on the common optical axis and a radially-retractedposition in which the movable optical element is radially retracted awayfrom the common optical axis.

The imaging device can include a switching device for selecting betweena photographic state and a non-photographing state; a image-shakedetection sensor for detecting a magnitude and a direction of vibrationapplied to the photographing optical system; a radial-retraction devicefor moving the movable optical element to the radially-retractedposition and the photographing position via the motion guiding devicewhen the non-photographing state and the photographic state are selectedby the switching device, respectively; and an image shake counteractingdriving device which moves the movable optical element in the firstdirection and the second direction so as to counteract the vibration inaccordance with an output of the image-shake detection sensor when themovable optical element is in the photographing position.

It is desirable for the image shake counteracting driving device toinclude at least one stepping motor.

It is desirable for the first direction and the second direction toinclude first and second linear directions, respectively, orthogonal toeach other on the plane orthogonal to the common optical axis.

It is desirable for the motion guiding device to include a first movableframe which supports the movable optical element; a second movable framewhich supports the first movable frame in a manner to allow the firstmovable frame to move in one of the first linear direction and thesecond linear direction; and a linear guide shaft which supports thesecond movable frame in a manner to allow the second movable frame tomove in the other of the first linear direction and the second lineardirection.

When the movable optical element is moved to the radially-retractedposition via the motion guiding device, it is desirable for anotheroptical element to enter a space in which the movable optical element inthe photographing position is positioned.

It is desirable for the movable optical element to include an imagesensor positioned at an imaging position of the photographing opticalsystem.

It is desirable for the image sensor to be connected to a flexible PWBallowing the image sensor to move in a housing of the imaging device.

It is desirable for the movable optical element to include a rearmostoptical element of the photographing optical system.

It is desirable for the motion guiding device to include a pair oflinear guide shafts extending perpendicular to each other.

In an embodiment, an imaging device is provided, including an imagesensor positioned at an imaging position of a photographing opticalsystem; a first guiding device which supports the image sensor in amanner to allow the image sensor to move linearly in a first directionin a plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of the photographingoptical system between a photographing position, in which the imagesensor is located on the common optical axis, and a radially-retractedposition in which the image sensor is radially retracted away from thecommon optical axis; a second guiding device which supports the imagesensor in a manner to allow the image sensor to move linearly in asecond direction perpendicular to the first direction in the planeorthogonal to the common optical axis; a radial-retraction device formoving the image sensor to the radially-retracted position and to thephotographing position via the first guiding device in anon-photographing state and a photographic state, respectively; and animage shake counteracting driving device which moves the image sensor inthe first direction and the second direction to counteract image shakein accordance with vibration applied to the photographing optical systemwhen the image sensor is in the photographing position.

It is desirable for the first guiding device to include a linear guideshaft which extends in a direction perpendicular to the common opticalaxis; and a holding frame which supports the image sensor and issupported by the linear guide shaft to be slidable thereon.

It is desirable for the second guiding device to include an orthogonalmoving frame which supports the image sensor and is supported by theholding frame to be allowed to move in a direction orthogonal to thelinear guide shaft.

It is desirable for the first guiding device to include a biasing devicefor biasing the image sensor in a direction from the radially-retractedposition to the photographing position.

It is desirable for the first guiding device to include a linear guideshaft which extends in a direction perpendicular to the common opticalaxis; and a holding frame which supports the image sensor and issupported by the linear guide shaft to be slidable thereon. The biasingdevice includes an extension spring extending substantially parallel tothe linear guide shaft.

When the image sensor is in the radially-retracted position, it isdesirable for another optical element enters a space in which the imagesensor is positioned when in the photographing position.

It is desirable for the image sensor to be a rearmost optical element ofthe photographing optical system.

According to the present invention, an imaging device having an opticalimage stabilizer can be miniaturized because the image stabilizingoperation and the retracting operation, in which at least one opticalelement of a photographing optical system is radially retracted from thecommon photographing optical axis of the photographing optical system,can be performed by moving a common optical element or elements of thephotographing optical system. Namely, the thickness of the imagingdevice can be reduced by the retracting operation while the spacenecessary for movement of the common optical element can be made minimalbecause the common optical element is shared between the imagestabilizing operation and the retracting operation. Moreover, since theimage stabilizer and the radially-retracting device can share componentswith each other, the structure of the imaging device can be simplified.Specifically, the guiding device for the common optical element can besimplified by making one moving direction of the optical element for theimage stabilizing operation and the retracting direction of the opticalelement for the retracting operation coincident with each other.

The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in JapanesePatent Application No. 2004-349184 (filed on Dec. 1, 2004), which isexpressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described below in detail with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a retractable zoomlens to which the present invention is applied in the retracted state ofthe zoom lens barrel;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the zoom lens shown in FIG. 1 in aphotographic state of the zoom lens;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the zoom lens atthe wide-angle extremity thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the zoom lens atthe telephoto extremity thereof;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of electricalcircuits of a camera equipped with the zoom lens shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the moving paths of a helicoidring and a cam ring and the moving paths of a first lens group and asecond lens group by movement of the cam ring;

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the combined moving path of eachof the first lens group and the second lens group, in which the movingpaths of the helicoid ring and the cam ring are included;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the zoom lens shown in FIGS. 1and 2;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of elements of an imagestabilizing mechanism and a radially-retracting mechanism which areshown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism, illustrating the retracted stateof a CCD holder in the retracted state of the zoom lens shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism, illustrating the optical-axisadvanced state of the CCD holder in a photographic state of the zoomlens;

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a portion of the image stabilizingmechanism as viewed from the rear side of FIGS. 10 and 11;

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 10, asviewed from the front in the optical axis direction;

FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 11, asviewed from the front in the optical axis direction;

FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view of the zoom lens in the retractedstate of the zoom lens shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of a horizontal moving frame and avertical moving frame which support the CCD holder, and associatedelements;

FIG. 17 is a front view of the horizontal moving frame, the verticalmoving frame and the associated elements shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a rear view of the horizontal moving frame, the verticalmoving frame and the associated elements shown in FIGS. 16 and 17;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the CCD holder, the horizontalmoving frame, the vertical moving frame and other elements, taken alongD1-D1 line shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is a front elevational view of the elements shown in FIGS. 16through 17 and other associated elements, illustrating an imagestabilizing action in the horizontal direction by an operation of ahorizontal driving lever;

FIG. 21 is a front elevational view of the elements shown in FIG. 20,illustrating an image stabilizing action in the vertical direction by anoperation of a vertical driving lever;

FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of elements of the image stabilizingmechanism and the radially-retracting mechanism, illustrating theretracted state of the CCD holder, the horizontal moving frame and thevertical moving frame which are retracted by an operation of aretracting lever;

FIG. 23 is a front elevational view of the elements shown in FIG. 22,illustrating a state in which the CCD holder, the horizontal movingframe and the vertical moving frame return to their respectivephotographing positions where the CCD holder is positioned on thephotographing optical axis when the retracting lever is disengaged fromthe vertical moving frame to stop upholding the vertical moving frame;

FIG. 24 is a front elevational view of elements shown in FIG. 8 forillustrating the relationship between the horizontal driving lever andthe vertical motion of the CCD holder, the horizontal moving frame, andthe vertical moving frame;

FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of thezoom lens to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view of elements of the imagestabilizing mechanism and the radially-retracting mechanism in thesecond embodiment of the zoom lens;

FIG. 27 is a front perspective view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism in the second embodiment of thezoom lens, illustrating the retracted state of a CCD holder in theradially retracted state of the zoom lens;

FIG. 28 is a front perspective view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism in the second embodiment of thezoom lens, illustrating the optical-axis advanced state of the CCDholder in a photographic state of the zoom lens;

FIG. 29 is a rear perspective view of a portion of an x-direction imagestabilizing mechanism as viewed from the rear side of FIGS. 27 and 28;

FIG. 30 is a front elevational view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 27, asviewed from the front in the optical axis direction;

FIG. 31 is a front elevational view of the image stabilizing mechanismand the radially-retracting mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 28, asviewed from the front in the optical axis direction; and

FIG. 32 is a front perspective view of a horizontal moving frame and avertical moving frame which support the CCD holder, and associatedelements in the second embodiment of the zoom lens.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show cross-sections of a zoom lens 10 which isincorporated in a zoom lens camera. The zoom lens 10 is provided with abox-shaped housing 11 and a retractable barrel portion 12 retractablysupported inside the housing 11. The outside of the housing 11 iscovered by exterior components of the camera; the exterior componentsare not shown in the drawings. A photographing optical system of thezoom lens 10 includes a first lens group 13 a, a shutter 13 b, adiaphragm 13 c, a second lens group 13 d, a third lens group 13 e, alow-pass filter 13 f, and a CCD image sensor 13 g (hereinafter referredto as CCD), in that order from the object side (the left side as viewedin FIGS. 1 and 2). As shown in FIG. 5, the CCD 13 g is electricallyconnected to a control circuit 14 a having an image processing circuit.Thus, an electronic image can be displayed on an LCD monitor 14 bprovided on an outer surface of the camera, and the electronic imagedata can be recorded in a memory 14 c. In a photographic state(ready-to-photograph state) of the zoom lens 10 shown in FIG. 2, all ofthe optical elements constituting the photographing optical system arealigned on the same photographing optical axis (common optical axis ofthe photographing optical system) Z1. On the other hand, in anaccommodated (radially retracted) state of the zoom lens 10 shown inFIG. 1, the third lens group 13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD13 g are moved away from the photographing optical axis Z1 to beradially retracted upward in the housing 11, and the second lens group13 d is linearly retracted into the space created as a result of theupward radial retracting movement of the third lens group 13 e, thelow-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g, which reduces the length of thezoom lens 10 in the retracted state thereof. The overall structure ofthe zoom lens 10 that includes a radially-retracting mechanism forradially retracting optical elements upward will be describedhereinafter. In the following description, the vertical direction andthe horizontal direction of the zoom lens camera body equipped with thezoom lens 10 as viewed from the front thereof are defined as a y-axisand an x-axis, respectively.

The housing 11 is provided with a hollow box-shaped portion 15 and ahollow fixed ring portion 16 which is formed on a front wall 15 a of thebox-shaped portion 15 so as to enclose the photographing optical systemabout the photographing optical axis Z1. A rotation center axis Z0serving as the center of the fixed ring portion 16 is parallel to thephotographing optical axis Z1 and eccentrically located below thephotographing optical axis Z1. A retraction space (accommodation space)SP (FIGS. 1 and 2) is formed inside the box-shaped portion 15 and abovethe fixed ring portion 16.

A zoom gear 17 (FIGS. 8, 10 and 11) is supported on an inner peripheralsurface side of the fixed ring portion 16 to be rotatable on an axis ofrotation parallel to the rotation center axis Z0. The zoom gear 17 isrotated forward and reverse by a zoom motor MZ (FIGS. 5, 10, and 11)supported by the housing 11. In addition, the fixed ring portion 16 isprovided on an inner peripheral surface thereof with a female helicoid16 a, a circumferential groove 16 b and a plurality of linear guidegrooves 16 c (only one of them is shown in FIG. 8). The circumferentialgroove 16 b is an annular groove with its center on the rotation centeraxis Z0, while the plurality of the linear guide grooves 16 c areparallel to the rotation center axis Z0 (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 8).

A helicoid ring 18 is supported inside the fixed ring portion 16 to berotatable about the rotation center axis Z0. The helicoid ring 18 isprovided with a male helicoid 18 a which is engaged with the femalehelicoid 16 a of the fixed ring portion 16 and thus can advance andretract in the optical axis direction while rotating due to theengagement of the female helicoid 16 a with the male helicoid 18 a. Thehelicoid ring 18 is further provided, on an outer peripheral surfacethereof in front of the female helicoid 18 a, with a plurality ofrotation guiding protrusions 18 b (only two of them are shown in FIG.8). In a state shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 in which the helicoid ring 18advances to the frontmost position thereof with respect to the fixedring portion 16, the female helicoid 16 a and the male helicoid 18 a aredisengaged from each other while the plurality of rotation guidingprotrusions 18 b are slidably fitted in the circumferential groove 16 bso that the helicoid ring 18 is prevented from further moving in theoptical axis direction and is allowed only to rotate at a fixed positionin the optical axis direction. The helicoid ring 18 is further providedon threads of the male helicoid 18 a with an annular spur gear 18 cwhich is in mesh with the zoom gear 17. Teeth of the spur gear 18 c arealigned parallel to the photographing optical axis Z1. The zoom gear 17is elongated in the axial direction thereof so as to remain engaged withthe spur gear 18 c at all times over the entire range of movement of thehelicoid ring 18 from a retracted state of the helicoid ring 18 shown inFIGS. 1 and 10 to an extended state of the helicoid ring 18 shown inFIGS. 2 and 11. The helicoid ring 18 is constructed by combining tworing members which are splittable in the optical axis direction. InFIGS. 10 and 11, only the rear ring member of the helicoid ring 18 isshown.

A linear guide ring 20 is supported inside the helicoid ring 18. Thelinear guide ring 20 is provided in the vicinity of the rear end thereofwith a linear guide projection 20 a, and is guided linearly along therotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axis Z1) by theslidable engagement of the linear guide projection 20 a with the linearguide groove 16 c of the fixed ring portion 16 as shown in FIG. 4. Arotation guiding portion 21 is provided between the inner peripheralsurface of the helicoid ring 18 and the outer peripheral surface of thelinear guide ring 20. The helicoid ring 18 is supported by the linearguide ring 20 to be rotatable with respect to the linear guide ring 20and to be movable together with the linear guide ring 20 in the opticalaxis direction via the rotation guiding portion 21. The rotation guidingportion 21 consists of a plurality of circumferential grooves providedat different positions in the axial direction and radial protrusions,each of which is slidably engaged in the corresponding circumferentialgroove (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

The linear guide ring 20 is provided on an inner peripheral surfacethereof with a plurality of linear guide grooves 20 b (only one of themis shown in each of FIGS. 1 through 4) which extend parallel to therotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axis Z1). Aplurality of linear guide projections 22 a (only one of them is shown ineach of FIGS. 1 through 4) which project radially outwards from a firstlens group linear guide ring 22 and a plurality of linear guideprojections 23 a (only one of them is shown in each of FIGS. 1 through4) which project radially outwards from a second lens group linear guidering 23 are slidably engaged with the plurality of linear guide grooves20 b, respectively. The first lens group linear guide ring 22 guides afirst lens group support frame 24 linearly in a direction parallel tothe rotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axis Z1) viaa plurality of linear guide grooves 22 b (only one of them is shown ineach of FIGS. 2 and 3) formed on an inner peripheral surface of thefirst lens group linear guide ring 22. The second lens group linearguide ring 23 guides a second lens group support frame 25 linearly in adirection parallel to the rotation center axis Z0 (and the photographingoptical axis Z1) via a plurality of linear guide keys 23 b (only one ofthem is shown in each of FIGS. 1 through 4). The first lens groupsupport frame 24 supports the first lens group 13 a via a focusing frame29, and the second lens group support frame 25 supports the second lensgroup 13 d.

A cam ring 26 is provided inside the linear guide ring 20 to berotatable about the rotation center axis Z0. The cam ring 26 issupported by the first lens group linear guide ring 22 and the secondlens group linear guide ring 23 to be rotatable with respect to each ofthe first lens group linear guide ring 22 and the second lens grouplinear guide ring 23 and to movable in the optical axis directiontogether therewith via rotation guiding portions 27 and 28 (see FIG. 4).As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotation guiding portion 27 is composedof a discontinuous circumferential groove 27 a (not shown in FIG. 3)which is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cam ring 26, andan inner flange 27 b which projects radially inwards from the first lensgroup linear guide ring 22 to be slidably engaged in the discontinuouscircumferential groove 27 a. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotationguiding portion 28 is composed of a discontinuous circumferential groove28 a (not shown in FIG. 3) formed on an inner peripheral surface of thecam ring 26 and an outer flange 28 b which projects radially outwardsfrom the second lens group linear guide ring 23 to be slidably engagedin the discontinuous circumferential groove 28 a.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cam ring 26 is provided thereon with a pluralityof follower protrusions 26 a (only one of them is shown in FIG. 4) whichproject radially outwards. The plurality of follower protrusions 26 apasses through a plurality of follower guide slots 20 c (only one ofthem is shown in FIG. 4) formed in the linear guide ring 20 to beengaged in a plurality of rotation transfer grooves 18 d (only one ofthem is shown in FIG. 4) formed on an inner peripheral surface of thehelicoid ring 18. Each rotation transfer groove 18 d is parallel to therotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axis Z1), andeach follower protrusion 26 a is slidably engaged in the associatedrotation transfer groove 18 d to be prevented from moving in thecircumferential direction relative to the associated rotation transfergroove 18 d. Accordingly, the rotation of the helicoid ring 18 istransferred to the cam ring 26 via the engagement between the pluralityof rotation transfer grooves 18 d and the plurality of followerprotrusions 26 a. Although the development shape of each follower guidegroove 20 c is not shown in the drawings, each follower guide groove 20c is a guide groove including a circumferential groove portion with itscenter on the rotation center axis Z0 and an inclined lead grooveportion parallel to the female helicoid 16 a. Accordingly, when rotatedby a rotation of the helicoid ring 18, the cam ring 26 rotates whilemoving forward or rearward along the rotation center axis Z0 (and thephotographing optical axis Z1) if each follower protrusion 26 a isengaged in the lead groove portion of the associated follower guidegroove 20 c, and rotates at a fixed position in the optical axisdirection without moving forward or rearward if each follower protrusion26 a is engaged in the circumferential groove portion of the associatedfollower guide groove 20 c.

The cam ring 26 is a double-sided cam ring having a plurality of outercam grooves 26 b (only one of them is shown in FIG. 3) and a pluralityof inner cam grooves 26 c (only one of them is shown in each of FIGS. 3and 4) on outer and inner peripheral surfaces of the cam ring 26,respectively. The plurality of outer cam grooves 26 b are slidablyengaged with a plurality of cam followers 24 a (only one of them isshown in FIG. 3) which project radially inwards from the first lensgroup support frame 24, respectively, while the plurality of inner camgrooves 26 c are slidably engaged with a plurality of cam followers 25 a(only one of them is shown in each of FIGS. 3 and 4) which projectradially outwards from the second lens group support frame 25.Accordingly, when the cam ring 26 is rotated, the first lens groupsupport frame 24 that is guided linearly in the optical axis directionby the first lens group linear guide ring 22 moves forward and rearwardalong the rotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axisZ1) in predetermined motion in accordance with contours of the pluralityof outer cam grooves 26 b, likewise, when the cam ring 26 is rotated,the second lens group support frame 25 that is guided linearly in theoptical axis direction by the second lens group linear guide ring 23moves forward and rearward along the rotation center axis Z0 (and thephotographing optical axis Z1) in predetermined motion in accordancewith contours of the plurality of the plurality of inner cam grooves 26c.

The second lens group support frame 25 is provided with a cylindricalportion 25 b (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which holds the second lens group 13 d,and supports the shutter 13 b and the diaphragm 13 c in front of thecylindrical portion 25 b to allow each of the shutter 13 b and thediaphragm 13 c to be opened and closed. The shutter 13 b and thediaphragm 13 c can be opened and closed by a shutter actuator MS and adiaphragm actuator MA, respectively, which are supported by the secondlens group support frame 25 (see FIGS. 5 and 15).

The focusing frame 29 which holds the first lens group 13 a is supportedby the first lens group support frame 24 to be movable along therotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axis Z1). Thefocusing frame 29 can be moved forward and rearward by a focusing motorMF (see FIG. 5).

The operation of each of the zoom motor MZ, the shutter actuator MS, thediaphragm actuator MA and the focusing motor MF is controlled by thecontrol circuit 14 a. Upon turning on a main switch (switching device)14 d (see FIG. 5) of the camera, the zoom motor MZ is driven to bringthe zoom lens 10 to the photographic state shown in FIG. 2. Upon turningoff the main switch 14 d, the zoom lens 10 is moved from thephotographic state to the retracted state shown in FIG. 1.

The above described operation of the zoom lens 10 is summarized asfollows. Upon turning on the main switch 14 d in the retracted state ofthe zoom lens 10 shown in FIG. 1, the zoom gear 17 is driven to rotatein a lens barrel advancing direction. Accordingly, the helicoid ring 18moves forward in the optical axis direction while rotating, andsimultaneously, the linear guide ring 20 linearly moves forward in theoptical axis direction together with the helicoid ring 18. In addition,the rotation of the helicoid ring 18 causes the cam ring 26 to moveforward in the optical axis direction while rotating relative to thelinear guide ring 20. The first lens group linear guide ring 22 and thesecond lens group linear guide ring 23 linearly move forward in theoptical axis direction together with the cam ring 26. Each of the firstlens group support frame 24 and the second lens group support frame 25moves in the optical axis direction relative to the cam ring 26 inpredetermined motion. Therefore, the moving amount of the first lensgroup 13 a in the optical axis direction when the zoom lens 10 isextended from the retracted state thereof is determined by adding themoving amount of the cam ring 26 relative to the fixed ring portion 16to the moving amount of the first lens group support frame 24 relativeto the cam ring 26 (the advancing/retracting amount of the first lensgroup support frame 24 by the cam groove 26 b). Furthermore, the movingamount of the second lens group 13 d in the optical axis direction whenthe zoom lens 10 is extended from the retracted state thereof isdetermined by adding the moving amount of the cam ring 26 relative tothe fixed ring portion 16 to the moving amount of the second lens groupsupport frame 25 relative to the cam ring 26 (the advancing/retractingamount of the second lens group support frame 25 by the cam groove 26c).

FIG. 6 shows the moving paths of the helicoid ring 18 and the cam ring26 and the moving paths of the first lens group 13 a and the second lensgroup 13 d relative to the cam ring 26 (the cam diagrams of the camgrooves 26 b and 26 c). The vertical axis represents the amount ofrotation (angular position) of the lens barrel from the retracted stateof the zoom lens 10 to the telephoto extremity thereof, and thehorizontal axis represents the amount of movement of the lens barrel inthe optical axis direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the helicoid ring 18 ismoved forward in the optical axis direction while rotating up to anangular position 61 which is located at about the midpoint in the rangeof extension of the zoom lens 10 from the retracted position (shown inFIG. 1) to the wide-angle extremity (shown by the upper half of the zoomlens 10 from the photographing optical axis Z1 and shown in FIG. 2),whereas the helicoid ring 18 rotates at a fixed position in the opticalaxis direction as described above in the range of extension of the zoomlens 10 from the angular position θ1 to the telephoto extremity (shownby the lower half of the zoom lens 10 from the photographing opticalaxis Z1 and shown in FIG. 4). On the other hand, the cam ring 26 ismoved forward in the optical axis direction while rotating up to anangular position θ2 which is located immediately behind the wide-angleextremity of the zoom lens 10 in the range of extension of the zoom lens10 from the retracted position to the wide-angle extremity, whereas thecam ring 26 rotates at a fixed position in the optical axis direction asdescribed above in the range of extension of the zoom lens 10 from theangular position θ2 to the telephoto extremity, similar to the helicoidring 18. In the zooming range from the wide-angle extremity to thetelephoto-extremity, the moving amount of the first lens group 13 a inthe optical axis direction is determined from the moving amount of thefirst lens group support frame 24 relative to the cam ring 26 whichrotates at a fixed position in the optical axis direction (theadvancing/retracting amount of the first lens group support frame 24 viathe cam groove 26 b), while the moving amount of the second lens group13 d in the optical axis direction is determined from the moving amountof the second lens group support frame 25 relative to the cam ring 26which rotates at a fixed position in the optical axis direction (theadvancing/retracting amount of the second lens group support frame 25via the cam groove 26 c). The focal length of the zoom lens 10 is variedby the relative movement in the optical axis direction between the firstlens group 13 a and the second lens group 13 d. FIG. 7 shows the actualmoving path of the first lens group 13 a which is obtained by combiningthe moving amounts of the helicoid ring 18 and the cam ring 26 with themoving amount of the first lens group 13 a by the cam groove 26 b, andthe actual moving path of the second lens group 13 d which is obtainedby combining the moving amounts of the helicoid ring 18 and the cam ring26 with the moving amount by the cam groove 26 c.

In the zooming range from the wide-angle extremity to the telephotoextremity, a focusing operation is performed by moving the first lensgroup 13 a in the optical axis direction independently of other opticalelements by the focusing motor MF.

The operations of the first lens group 13 a and the second lens group 13d have been described above. In the zoom lens 10 of the presentembodiment, the optical elements (image-stabilizing opticalelements/movable optical elements) of the zoom lens 10 from the thirdlens group 13 e to the CCD 13 g are retractable away from thephotographing position on the photographing optical axis Z1 to anoff-optical-axis retracted position (radially retracted position) Z2located above the photographing position as described above. Inaddition, by moving the optical elements from the third lens group 13 eto the CCD 13 g on a plane perpendicular to the photographing opticalaxis Z1, image shake can also be counteracted. The retracting mechanismand the image stabilizing mechanism will be discussed hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 19, the third lens group 13 e, the low-passfilter 13 f and the CCD 13 g are held by a CCD holder 30 to be providedas a unit. The CCD holder 30 is provided with a holder body 30 a, asealing member 30 b and a pressure plate 30 c. The third lens group 13 eis held by the holder body 30 a at a front end aperture thereof. Thelow-pass filter 13 f is held between a flange formed on an inner surfaceof the holder body 30 a and the sealing member 30 b, and the CCD 13 g isheld between the sealing member 30 b and the pressure plate 30 c. Theholder body 30 a and the pressure plate 30 c are fixed to each other bythree fixing screws 30 d (see FIGS. 15 and 18) separately arrangedaround the central axis of the CCD holder 30 (the photographing opticalaxis Z1 in a photographic state of the zoom lens 10). The three fixingscrews 30 d also secure one end portion of an image transmissionflexible PWB 31 to the rear surface of the pressure plate 30 c so that asupporting substrate of the CCD 13 g is electrically connected to theimage transmission flexible PWB 31.

The image transmission flexible PWB 31 extends from its connection endat the CCD 13 g to the retraction space SP in the housing 11. The imagetransmission flexible PWB 31 is provided with a first linear portion 31a, a U-shaped portion 31 b, a second linear portion 31 c, and a thirdlinear portion 31 d (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The first linear portion 31 ais substantially orthogonal to the photographing optical axis Z1 andextends upward. The U-shaped portion 31 b is bent forward from the firstlinear portion 31 a. The second linear portion 31 c extends downwardfrom the U-shaped portion 31 b. The third linear portion 31 d is foldedupward from the second linear portion 31 c. The third linear portion 31d is fixed to an inner surface of the front wall 15 a of the housing 11therealong. The first linear portion 31 a, the U-shaped portion 31 b andthe second linear portion 31 c (except the third linear portion 31 d)serve as a free-deformable portion which is freely resilientlydeformable according to the motion of the CCD holder 30.

The CCD holder 30 is supported by a horizontal moving frame (an elementof a motion guiding device/first movable frame/second guidingdevice/orthogonal-direction moving frame) 32 via three adjusting screws33 (see FIGS. 15 and 18) separately arranged around the central axis ofthe CCD holder 30 (the photographing optical axis Z1 in aready-photograph state of the zoom lens 10). Three compression coilsprings 34 are installed between the CCD holder 30 and the horizontalmoving frame 32. The shaft portions of the three adjusting screws 33 areinserted into the three compression coil springs 34, respectively. Whenthe tightening amounts of the adjusting screws 33 are changed, therespective compression amounts of the coil springs 34 are changed. Theadjusting screws 33 and the compression coil springs 34 are provided atthree different positions around the optical axis of the third lensgroup 13 e, and accordingly, the inclination of the CCD holder 30 withrespect to the horizontal moving frame 32, or the inclination of theoptical axis of the third lens group 13 e with respect to thephotographing optical axis Z1, can be adjusted by changing thetightening amounts of the three adjusting screws 33.

As shown in FIG. 16, the horizontal moving frame 32 is supported by avertical moving frame (an element of the motion guiding device/secondmovable frame/first guiding device/holding frame) 36 to be movable withrespect thereto via a horizontal guide shaft (an element of the motionguiding device/second guiding device) 35 extending in the x-axisdirection. Specifically, the horizontal moving frame 32 is provided witha rectangular frame portion 32 a which encloses the CCD holder 30 and anarm portion 32 b which extends horizontally from the frame portion 32 a.A spring supporting protrusion 32 c is formed on an upper surface of theframe portion 32 a, and an inclined surface 32 d and a positionrestricting surface 32 e are formed on an end portion of the arm portion32 b. The position restricting surface 32 e is a flat surface parallelto the y-axis. On the other hand, the vertical moving frame 36 isprovided with a pair of motion restricting frames 36 a and 36 b, aspring supporting portion 36 c, an upper bearing portion 36 d, and alower bearing portion 36 e. The pair of motion restricting frames 36 aand 36 b are provided spaced apart in the x-axis direction. The springsupporting portion 36 c is located between the pair of the motionrestricting frames 36 a and 36 b. The upper bearing portion 36 d islocated on a line extended from the spring supporting portion 36 c inthe x-axis direction. The lower bearing portion 36 e is located belowthe upper bearing portion 36 d. As shown in FIG. 17, the horizontalmoving frame 32 is supported by the vertical moving frame 36 in a statewhere the frame portion 32 a is positioned in the space between the pairof motion restricting frames 36 a and 36 b and where the inclinedsurface 32 d and the position restricting surface 32 e of the armportion 32 b are positioned between the motion restricting frame 36 band the upper bearing portion 36 d.

One end of the horizontal guide shaft 35 is fixed to the motionrestricting frame 36 a of the vertical moving frame 36, and the otherend of the horizontal guide shaft 35 is fixed to the upper bearingportion 36 d of the vertical moving frame 36. Two through-holes arerespectively formed in the motion restricting frame 36 b and the springsupporting portion 36 c to be horizontally aligned to each other so asto allow the horizontal guide shaft 35 to pass through the motionrestricting frame 36 b and the spring supporting portion 36 c.Horizontal through-holes 32 x 1 and 32 x 2 (see FIG. 17) into which thehorizontal guide shaft 35 is inserted are formed in the arm portion 32 band the spring supporting protrusion 32 c of the horizontal moving frame32, respectively. The horizontal through-holes 32 x 1 and 32 x 2 of thehorizontal moving frame 32 and the aforementioned two through-holeswhich are respectively formed in the motion restricting frame 36 b andthe spring supporting portion 36 c are horizontally aligned with eachother. Since the horizontal guide shaft 35 is slidably fitted in thehorizontal through-holes 32 x 1 and 32 x 2, the horizontal moving frame32 is supported by the vertical moving frame 36 to be movable withrespect to the vertical moving frame 36 in the x-axis direction. Ahorizontal moving frame biasing spring 37 is installed on the horizontalguide shaft 35 between the spring supporting protrusion 32 c and thespring supporting portion 36 c. The horizontal moving frame biasingspring 37 is a compression coil spring and biases the horizontal movingframe 32 in a direction (leftward as viewed in FIG. 17) to make thespring supporting protrusion 32 c approach the motion restricting frame36 a.

Vertical through-holes 36 y 1 and 36 y 2 (see FIG. 16) are furtherformed in the upper bearing portion 36 d and the lower bearing portion36 e of the vertical moving frame 36, respectively, which extend in aline along the y-axis direction which is orthogonal to the photographingoptical axis Z1. The vertical through-hole 36 y 1 and the verticalthrough-hole 36 y 2 are vertically aligned, and a vertical guide shaft(linear guide shaft/an element of the motion guiding device/firstguiding device) 38 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) passes through verticalthrough-hole 36 y 1 and the vertical through-hole 36 y 2. Both ends ofthe vertical guide shaft 38 are fixed to the housing 11, and therefore,the vertical moving frame 36 can move along the vertical guide shaft 38in the y-axis direction inside the camera. More specifically, thevertical moving frame 36 can move between the photographing positionshown in FIG. 1 and the retracted position shown in FIG. 2. When thevertical moving frame 36 is positioned in the photographing position asshown in FIG. 2, the centers of the third lens group 13 e, the low-passfilter 13 f and the CCD 13 g in the CCD holder 30 are positioned on thephotographing optical axis Z1. When the vertical moving frame 36 ispositioned in the radially retracted position as shown in FIG. 1, thecenters of the third lens group 13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f and theCCD 13 g are positioned in the off-optical-axis retracted position Z2that is located above the fixed ring portion 16.

The vertical moving frame 36 is provided with a spring hooking portion36 f which projects horizontally from a side surface of the verticalmoving frame 36 in a direction away from the vertical through-hole 36yl, and a vertical moving frame biasing spring (biasing device) 39 isextended between the spring hooking portion 36 f and a spring hookingportion 11 a (see FIGS. 8 and 15) fixed to the housing 11 therein. Thevertical moving frame biasing spring 39 is an extension coil spring andbiases the vertical moving frame 36 downward (i.e., toward thephotographing position thereof shown in FIG. 2).

As described above, the horizontal moving frame 32 that holds the CCDholder 30 is supported by the vertical moving frame 36 to be movable inthe x-axis direction with respect to the vertical moving frame 36, andthe vertical moving frame 36 is supported by the housing 11 via thevertical guide shaft 38 to be movable in the y-axis direction withrespect to the housing 11. Image shake can be counteracted by moving theCCD holder 30 in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction. To thisend, a horizontal driving lever 40 and a vertical driving lever 41 areprovided as elements of a driving mechanism which achieves such movementof the CCD holder 30. The horizontal driving lever 40 and the verticaldriving lever 41 are pivoted on a lever pivot shaft 42 to be rotatable(swingable) independently of each other. The lever pivot shaft 42 ispositioned in the housing 11 and fixed thereto to be parallel to thephotographing optical axis Z1.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 20, the horizontal driving lever 40 is pivotedat the lower end thereof on the lever pivot shaft 42, and is provided atthe upper end of the horizontal driving lever 40 with a force-applyingend 40 a. The horizontal driving lever 40 is provided in the vicinity ofthe force-applying end 40 a with an operation pin 40 b which projectsrearward in the optical axis direction and a spring hooking portion 40 cwhich projects forward in the optical axis direction. As shown in FIG.12, the force-applying end 40 a of the horizontal driving lever 40 abutsagainst a lug 43 b of a first moving member 43. The first moving member43 is supported by a pair of parallel guide bars 44 (44 a and 44 b) tobe slidable thereon in the x-axis direction, and a driven nut member 45abuts against the first moving member 43. The driven nut member 45 isprovided with a female screw hole 45 b and a rotation restricting groove45 a (see FIG. 9) which is slidably fitted on the guide bar 44 b. Adrive shaft (a feed screw) 46 a of a first stepping motor (an element ofan image shake counteracting driving device) 46 is screwed into thefemale screw hole 45 b. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the driven nutmember 45 abuts against the first moving member 43 from the left side.One end of an extension coil spring 47 is hooked on the spring hookingportion 40 c of the horizontal driving lever 40, and the other end ofthe spring 47 is hooked on a spring hooking portion 11 b which projectsfrom an inner surface of the housing 11 (see FIG. 12). The extensioncoil spring 47 biases the horizontal driving lever 40 in a direction tobring the first moving member 43 to abut against the driven nut member45, i.e., in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 13, 14 and20. Due to this structure, driving the first stepping motor 46 causesthe driven nut member 45 to move along the pair of guide bars 44, and atthe same time causes the first moving member 43 to move together withthe driven nut member 45, thus causing the horizontal driving lever 40to swing about the lever pivot shaft 42. Specifically, moving the drivennut member 45 rightward as viewed in FIGS. 13 and 14 causes the drivennut member 45 to press the first moving member 43 in the same directionagainst the biasing force of the extension spring 47, thus causing thehorizontal driving lever 40 to rotate clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 13and 14. Conversely, moving the driven nut member 45 leftward as viewedin FIGS. 13 and 14 causes the first moving member 43 to move in the samedirection while following the leftward movement of the driven nut member45 due to the biasing force of the extension coil spring 47, thuscausing the horizontal driving lever 40 to rotate counterclockwise asviewed in FIGS. 13 and 14.

As shown in FIG. 20, the operation pin 40 b of the horizontal drivinglever 40 abuts against the position restricting surface 32 e that isprovided on the end portion of the arm portion 32 b of the horizontalmoving frame 32. Since the horizontal moving frame 32 is biased leftwardas viewed in FIG. 20 by the horizontal moving frame biasing spring 37,the operation pin 40 b remains in contact with the position restrictingsurface 32 e. When the horizontal driving lever 40 swings, the positionof the operation pin 40 b changes along the x-axis direction, so thatthe horizontal moving frame 32 moves along the horizontal guide shaft35. Specifically, rotating the horizontal driving lever 40 clockwise asviewed in FIG. 20 causes the operation pin 40 b to press the positionrestricting surface 32 e, which causes the horizontal moving frame 32 tomove rightward as viewed in FIG. 20 against the biasing force of thehorizontal moving frame biasing spring 37. Conversely, rotating thehorizontal driving lever 40 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 20 causesthe operation pin 40 b to move in a direction away from the positionrestricting surface 32 e (leftward as viewed in FIG. 20), which causesthe horizontal moving frame 32 to move in the same direction whilefollowing the leftward movement of the operation pin 40 b due to thebiasing force of the horizontal moving frame biasing spring 37.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 21, the vertical driving lever 41 is pivoted atits lower end on the lever pivot shaft 42, as in the case of thehorizontal driving lever 40, and is provided at the upper end of thevertical driving lever 41 with a force-applying end 41 a. The verticaldriving lever 41 is longer than the horizontal driving lever 40, and theforce-applying end 41 a protrudes upward to a position higher than theposition of the force-applying end 40 a. The vertical driving lever 41is provided between the lever rotating shaft 42 and the force-applyingend 41 a with a pressing inclined surface 41 b which projects rightwardas viewed in FIG. 21. The vertical driving lever 41 is provided abovethe pressing inclined surface 41 b with a spring hooking portion 41 c.As shown in FIG. 12, the force-applying end 41 a abuts against a lug 50b of a second moving member 50. The second moving member 50 is supportedby a pair of parallel guide bars 51 (51 a and 51 b) to be slidablethereon in the x-axis direction, and a driven nut member 52 abutsagainst the second moving member 50. The driven nut member 52 isprovided with a female screw hole 52 b and a rotation restricting groove52 a which is slidably fitted on the guide bar 51 b. A drive shaft (afeed screw) 53 a of a second stepping motor (an element of the imageshake counteracting driving device) 53 is screwed into the female screwhole 52 b. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the driven nut member 52 abutsagainst the second moving member 50 from the left side as viewed fromthe front of the camera. One end of an extension coil spring 54 ishooked on the spring hooking portion 41 c of the vertical driving lever41, and the other end of the spring 54 is hooked on a spring hookingportion (not shown) formed on an inner surface of the housing 11. Theextension coil spring 54 biases the vertical driving lever 41 in adirection to bring the second moving member 50 to abut against thedriven nut member 52, i.e., in the counterclockwise direction as viewedin FIGS. 13, 14, and 21. Due to this structure, driving the secondstepping motor 53 causes the driven nut member 52 to move along the pairof guide bars 51, and at the same time causes the second moving member50 to move together with the driven nut member 52, thus causing thevertical driving lever 41 to swing about the lever pivot shaft 42.Specifically, moving the driven nut member 52 rightward as viewed inFIGS. 13 and 14 causes the driven nut member 52 to press the secondmoving member 50 in the same direction against the biasing force of theextension spring 54, thus causing the vertical driving lever 41 torotate clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 13 and 14. Conversely, moving thedriven nut member 52 leftward as viewed in FIGS. 13 and 14 causes thesecond moving member 50 to move in the same direction while followingthe leftward movement of the driven nut member 52 due to the biasingforce of the extension spring 54, thus causing the vertical drivinglever 41 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 13 and 14.

As shown in FIG. 21, the pressing inclined surface 41 b of the verticaldriving lever 41 can come into contact with a pressed pin 36 g whichprojects forward from the upper bearing portion 36 d of the verticalmoving frame 36. Since the vertical moving frame 36 is biased downwardsas viewed in FIG. 21 by the vertical moving frame biasing spring 39, thepressed pin 36 g always remains in contact with the pressing inclinedsurface 41 b. When the vertical driving lever 41 swings, the abuttingangle of the pressing inclined surface 41 b relative to the pressed pin36 g changes, so that the vertical moving frame 36 moves along thevertical guide shaft 38. Specifically, rotating the vertical drivinglever 41 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 21 causes the pressing inclinedsurface 41 b to press the pressed pin 36 g upward as viewed in FIG. 21,which causes the vertical moving frame 36 to move upward against thebiasing force of the vertical moving frame biasing spring 39.Conversely, rotating the vertical driving lever 41 counterclockwise asviewed in FIG. 21 causes the abutting point on the pressing inclinedsurface 41 b relative to the pressed pin 36 g to descend, which causesthe vertical moving frame 36 to move downward by the biasing force ofthe vertical moving frame biasing spring 39.

In the above-described structure, the horizontal moving frame 32 can becaused to move left or right in the x-axis direction by driving thefirst stepping motor 46 forward or reverse. Furthermore, the verticalmoving frame 36 can be caused to move upwards or downwards in the y-axisdirection by driving the second stepping motor 53 forward or reverse.

The first moving member 43 is provided with a plate portion 43 a, andthe second moving member 50 is provided with a plate portion 50 a. Theinitial position of the horizontal moving frame 32 can be detected by aphoto sensor 55 having a light emitter and a light receiver which arespaced apart from each other as shown in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11 when theplate portion 43 a passes between the light emitter and the lightreceiver of the photo sensor 55. The plate portion 43 a and the photosensor 55 constitute a photo interrupter. Likewise, the initial positionof vertical moving frame 36 can be detected by a photo sensor 56 havinga light emitter and a light receiver which are spaced apart from eachother as shown in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11 when the plate portion 50 a passesbetween the light emitter and the light receiver of the photo sensor 56.The plate portion 50 a and the photo sensor 56 constitute a photointerrupter. The two photo sensors 55 and 56 are fixed in two fixingholes 15 a 1 and 15 a 2 (see FIG. 8) formed on a front wall of thehousing 11 to be supported thereby.

The present embodiment of the zoom lens camera has an image-shakedetection sensor 57 (see FIG. 5) which detects the angular velocityaround two axes (the vertical and horizontal axes of the camera)orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the photographingoptical axis Z1. The magnitude and the direction of camera shake(vibrations) are detected by the image-shake detection sensor 57. Thecontrol circuit 14 a determines a moving angle by time-integrating theangular velocity of the camera shake in the two axial directions,detected by the image-shake detection sensor 57. Subsequently, thecontrol circuit 14 a calculates from the moving angle the moving amountsof the image on a focal plane (imaging surface/light receiving surfaceof the CCD 13 g) in the x-axis direction and in the y-axis direction.The control circuit 14 further calculates the driving amounts and thedriving directions of the horizontal moving frame 32 and the verticalmoving frame 36 for the respective axial directions (driving pulses forthe first stepping motor 46 and the second stepping motor 53) in orderto counteract the camera shake. Thereupon, the first stepping motor 46and the second stepping motor 53 are actuated and the operations thereofare controlled in accordance with the calculated values. In this manner,each of the horizontal moving frame 32 and the vertical moving frame 36is driven in the calculated direction by the calculated amount in orderto counteract the shake of the photographing optical axis Z1 to therebystabilize the image on the focal plane. The camera can be put into thisimage stabilization mode by turning on a photographing mode selectswitch 14 e (see FIG. 5). If the switch 14 e is in an off-state, theimage stabilizing capability is deactivated so that a normalphotographing operation is performed.

The present embodiment of the zoom lens camera uses part of theabove-described image stabilizing mechanism to perform the retractingoperation (radially retracting operation) of the third lens group 13 e,the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g toward the off-optical-axisretracted position Z2 into the retraction space SP when the zoom lens 10is retracted from a photographic state. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, aretracting lever (radial-retraction device) 60 is provided below thevertical moving frame 36. The retracting lever 60 is pivoted on a pivotshaft 60 a to be rotatable (swingable) thereabout. A coaxial gear 61 isinstalled adjacent to the retracting lever 60, and is coaxially providedon the pivot shaft 60 a to be rotatable on the pivot shaft 60 a. Arotational force is transferred from an interconnecting gear 64 to thecoaxial gear 61 via two relay gears 62 and 63. The pivot shaft 60 a,which serves as the rotation axis of each of the retracting lever 60 andthe coaxial gear 61, the rotation axes of the relay gears 62 and 63, andthe rotation axis of the interconnecting gear 64 are each parallel tothe rotation center axis Z0 (and the photographing optical axis Z1).

As shown in FIGS. 9, 22 and 23, the retracting lever 60 is provided inthe vicinity of the pivot shaft 60 a with a rotation transfer protrusion60 b having a sector-shaped cross section and projecting forward in theoptical axis direction. The coaxial gear 61 is provided, at a rear endthereof, with a rotation transfer protrusion 61 a which projectsrearward in the optical axis direction, has the same diameter of that ofthe rotation transfer protrusion 60 b, and is coaxial with therotational shaft 60 a. Namely, the rotation transfer protrusion 60 b andthe rotation transfer protrusion 61 a have the same diameter and arepositioned on the pivot shaft 60 a to be circumferentially engageablewith each other. The coaxial gear 61 transfers a rotation thereof to theretracting lever 60 by engaging the rotation transfer protrusion 61 awith the rotation transfer protrusion 60 b of the retracting lever 60.When the coaxial gear 61 rotates in a direction to disengage therotation transfer protrusion 61 a from the rotation transfer protrusion60 b, the rotational force of the coaxial gear 61 is not transferred tothe retracting lever 60. The retracting lever 60 is biased to rotatecounterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 22 and 23 by a torsion spring 60 c,and the housing 11 is provided therein with a stop projection 65 (seeFIGS. 13, 14, 22 and 23) which defines the limit of rotation of theretracting lever 60 in the biasing direction of the torsion spring 60 c.Namely, the retracting lever 60 comes in contact with the stopprojection 65 as shown in FIG. 23 when fully rotated counterclockwise asviewed in FIGS. 22 and 23.

The vertical moving frame 36 is provided on a bottom surface thereofwith an abutment surface 66 consisting of an arc-shaped surface 66 a anda leading surface 66 b. The arc-shaped surface 66 a has an arc shapewhich corresponds to an arc pivoted on the axis of the pivot shaft 60 aof the retracting lever 60, and the leading surface 66 b is formed as aflat inclined surface. The lowermost point of the leading surface 66 bis located at the portion thereof which is connected to the arc-shapedsurface 66 a, and the leading surface 66 b gradually rises in adirection away from the arc-shaped surface 66 a (in a direction toapproach the left side surface of the vertical moving frame 36 as viewedin FIGS. 22 and 23).

The interconnecting gear 64 is provided with a gear portion 64 a and arotation restricting portion 64 b at different positions in the axialdirection of interconnecting gear 64. The rotation restricting portion64 b has a non-circular (D-shaped) cross-sectional shape and includes alarge-diameter cylindrical portion 64 b 1 and a flat portion 64 b 2. Thelarge-diameter cylindrical portion 64 b 1 has an incomplete cylindricalshape having a diameter larger than that of the gear portion 64 a. Theflat portion 64 b 2 is formed on the rotation restricting portion 64 bin a manner so that a part of the large diameter cylindrical portion 64b 1 appears to be cut off to form a nearly flat shape. In an area inwhich the flat portion 64 b 2 is formed, the tips of the teeth of thegear portion 64 a project radially outwards from the rotationrestricting portion 64 b. The flat portion 64 b 2 is formed as a flatsurface which includes a straight line parallel to the axis of rotationof the interconnecting gear 64.

The interconnecting gear 64 is positioned to face the outer surface ofthe helicoid ring 18. The spur gear 18 c faces either the gear portion64 a of the interconnecting gear 64 (in the state shown in FIGS. 11 and14) or the rotation restricting portion 64 b (in the state shown FIGS.10 and 13) depending on the axial position (and the type of motion) ofthe helicoid ring 18 in the optical axis direction. When the helicoidring 18 rotates at a fixed position as described above, the spur gear 18c is engaged with the gear portion 64 a. As the helicoid ring 18 movesin the retracting direction from the fixed-position rotating state, thespur gear 18 c is disengaged from the interconnecting gear 64 to facethe rotation restricting portion 64 b, so that the transfer of rotationof the helicoid ring 18 to the interconnecting gear 64 is stopped.

The operation of the retracting lever 60 will be discussed in detailhereinafter. FIG. 23 shows elements of the image stabilizing mechanismand the retracting mechanism in a state where the zoom lens 10 is set atthe wide-angle extremity. In this state, the third lens group 13 e, thelow-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g are positioned on thephotographing optical axis Z1 (see the upper half of the zoom lens 10shown in FIG. 2), and also the helicoid ring 18 is in a state where thehelicoid ring 18 is only allowed to rotate at a fixed position in theoptical axis direction (see FIG. 6) while the gear portion 64 a of theinterconnecting gear 64 is engaged with the spur gear 18 c of thehelicoid ring 18. When the helicoid ring 18 rotates in the retractingdirection from the wide-angle extremity, the coaxial gear 61 rotatesclockwise as viewed in FIG. 23 via the interconnecting gear 64 and therelay gears 62 and 63. As shown in FIG. 23, since the rotation transferprotrusion 61 a and the rotation transfer protrusion 60 b are slightlyapart from each other when the zoom lens 10 is set at the wide-angleextremity, no rotational force is transferred from the coaxial gear 61to the retracting lever 60 for a short period of time after the coaxialgear 61 starts rotating. Accordingly, the retracting lever 60 is held inthe position shown in FIG. 23 where the retracting lever 60 is incontact with the stop projection 65 due to the biasing force of thetorsion spring 60 c. Thereafter, upon the rotation transfer protrusion61 a coming into contact with the rotation transfer protrusion 60 b andpressing the rotation transfer protrusion 60 b, the retracting lever 60starts rotating clockwise with respect to FIG. 23 against the biasingforce of the torsion spring 60 c. In the present embodiment, the timingof the commencement of rotation of the retracting lever 60 substantiallycorresponds to the angular position θ2 at which the cam ring 26 startsretracting in the optical axis direction from the fixed positionrotation state (see FIG. 6).

When the retracting lever 60 rotates clockwise from the angular positionshown in FIG. 23, a force-applying end 60 d formed at the free end ofthe retracting lever 60 is brought into contact with the leading surface66 b of the abutment surface 66 of the vertical moving frame 36. Afurther clockwise rotation of the retracting lever 60 causes theretracting lever 60 to lift the vertical moving frame 36 according tothe inclined shape of the leading surface 66 b, thus causing thevertical moving frame 36 to move upward in the housing 11 along thevertical guide shaft 38.

On and after the angular position exceeding θ1 shown in FIG. 6, when thehelicoid ring 18 rotates in the retracting direction, the rotatingoperation of the helicoid ring 18 at a fixed position in the opticalaxis direction ends, and subsequently the helicoid ring 18 starts movingrearward in the optical axis direction while rotating. Thereupon, thespur gear 18 c of the helicoid ring 18 is disengaged from the gearportion 64 a of the interconnecting gear 64, which in turn faces theflat portion 64 b 2 of the rotation restricting portion 64 b. Since eachof the spur gear 18 c and the gear portion 64 a has a predeterminedlength in the optical axis direction, the engagement between the spurgear 18 c and the gear portion 64 a is not released at once immediatelyafter the fixed-position rotating state of the helicoid ring 18 changesto the rotating and retracting state thereof at the angular position θ1,but is released at an angular position θ3 at which the helicoid ring 18further retracts in the retracting direction by a small amount ofmovement. Due to this disengagement of the spur gear 18 c from the gearportion 64 a, the rotational force of the helicoid ring 18 is no longertransferred to the interconnecting gear 64, so that the upwardrotational motion of the retracting lever 60 is terminated. FIGS. 15 and22 show the retracting lever 60 in a state in which the upwardrotational motion thereof has been terminated. As can be seen in FIG.22, the force-applying end 60 d of the retracting lever 60 is in contactwith the arc-shaped surface 66 a after passing the boundary between thearc-shaped surface 66 a and the leading surface 66 b. In this state, thevertical moving frame 36 lifted by the retracting lever 60 have beenmoved into the retraction space SP in the housing 11 as shown in FIG. 1.

The retracting operation of the zoom lens 10 is not completed at theangular position θ3 where the upward retracting motion of the verticalmoving frame 36 is completed; the helicoid ring 18 and the cam ring 26further move rearward in the optical axis direction while rotating.Thereafter, when the helicoid ring 18 and the cam ring 26 reach theirrespective retracted positions shown in FIG. 1, the cylindrical portion25 b of the second lens group support frame 25 that holds the secondlens group 13 d is retracted into the space in the housing 11 which isformerly occupied by the vertical moving frame 36 when the zoom lens 10is in a photographic state. In this manner, the thickness of thephotographing optical system in the optical axis direction can bereduced in the retracted state of the zoom lens 10, which makes itpossible to reduce the thickness of the zoom lens 10, which in turnmakes it possible to reduce the thickness of a camera incorporating thezoom lens 10.

In the above-described retracting operation of the zoom lens 10, afterthe zoom lens 10 retracts to the angular position θ3 where theengagement between the gear portion 64 a of the interconnecting gear 64and the spur gear 18 c of the helicoid ring 18 is released, the spurgear 18 c faces the flat portion 64 b 2 of the rotation restrictingportion 64 b. In this state where the spur gear 18 c faces the flatportion 64 b 2, the flat portion 64 b 2 is positioned in close vicinityof the tooth top (outermost periphery/addendum circle) of the spur gear18 c. Therefore, even if the interconnecting gear 64 tries to rotate,the flat portion 64 b 2 abuts against the outer periphery of the spurgear 18 c to prevent the interconnecting gear 64 from rotating (seeFIGS. 10 and 13). In this manner, the interconnecting gear 64 isprevented from rotating accidentally in the retracted state of the zoomlens 10, and thus the retracting lever 60 can be securely locked in theupper rotational position. In other words, in the retracted state shownin FIG. 22, although the retracting lever 60 is biased counterclockwiseas viewed in FIG. 22 by the torsion spring 60 c, the retracting lever 60is prevented from rotating counterclockwise by a gear train consistingof the coaxial gear 61, the pair of relay gears 62 and 63 and theinterconnecting gear 64. The abutting physical relationship between theflat portion 64 b 2 of the interconnecting gear 64 and the spur gear 18c serves as a rotation restricting device for restricting rotation ofthe retracting lever 60. Therefore, the retracting lever 60 can besecurely held in a halting state without any complicated lockingmechanism.

In a state in which the vertical moving frame 36 is radially retractedupward completely out of the linear retracting path of the first andsecond lens groups 13 a and 13 d, the force-applying end 60 d of theretracting lever 60 abuts against the arc-shaped surface 66 a which hasan arc-shaped surface having its center on the axis of the pivot shaft60 a of the retracting lever 60. Therefore, even if the angle of theretracting lever 60 is changed, the vertical position of the verticalmoving frame 36 is not changed and held constant so long as theforce-applying end 60 d abuts against the arc-shaped surface 66 a.

The operation of the retracting mechanism from the wide-angle extremityto the retracted position has been described above. On the other hand,in the zooming range from the wide-angle extremity to the telephotoextremity, the spur gear 18 c of the helicoid ring 18 rotating at afixed position remains engaged with the gear portion 64 a of theinterconnecting gear 64, and thus the interconnecting gear 64 is rotatedaccording to the rotation of the helicoid ring 18. However, rotating thehelicoid ring 18 from the wide-angle extremity state shown in FIG. 23toward the telephoto extremity causes the coaxial gear 61 to rotatecounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 23, i.e., in a direction to move therotation transfer protrusion 61 a away from the rotation transferprotrusion 60 b. Therefore, in the zooming range from the wide-angleextremity to the telephoto extremity, no rotational force is transferredto the retracting lever 60, and the retracting lever 60 is held at theangular position shown in FIG. 23. In this manner, the range of rotationof the retracting lever 60 can be minimized, thereby preventing anincrease in size of the zoom lens barrel.

When the vertical moving frame 36 is retracted upward to theoff-optical-axis retracted position Z2 as shown in FIG. 24, the positionrestricting surface 32 e that is provided on the arm portion 32 b of thehorizontal moving frame 32 is disengaged from the operation pin 40 bthat is provided on the horizontal driving lever 40. This disengagementof the position restricting surface 32 e from the operation pin 40 bcauses the horizontal moving frame 32 to move leftward as viewed in FIG.24 by the biasing force of the horizontal moving frame biasing spring 37up to a point at which the frame portion 32 a of the horizontal movingframe 32 abuts against the motion restricting frame 36 a of the verticalmoving frame 36. From this state, upon the vertical moving frame 36being moved down to the photographing optical axis Z1, the inclinedsurface 32 d of the horizontal moving frame 32 comes in contact with theoperation pin 40 b as shown by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 24. Theinclined surface 32 d is inclined so as to guide the operation pin 40 bto the position restricting surface 32 e side according to the downwardmotion of the vertical moving frame 36. Therefore, upon the verticalmoving frame 36 being moved down to the photographing position, theoperation pin 40 b is again engaged with the position restrictingsurface 32 e as shown in FIG. 20 and the frame portion 32 a of thehorizontal moving frame 32 returns to the neutral position thereofbetween the motion restricting frame 36 a and the motion restrictingframe 36 b.

FIGS. 25 through 32 show a second embodiment of the zoom lens 10.Although the first embodiment of the zoom lens 10 is provided with thevertical driving lever 41 and the second stepping motor 53 as a drivingdevice for driving the vertical moving frame 36, and is provided withthe retracting lever 60 as another driving device for retraction, thesecond embodiment of the zoom lens 10 is provided with a second steppingmotor (radial-retraction device/image shake counteracting drivingdevice) 70 which is also used to serve as these driving devices.Therefore, the second embodiment of the zoom lens 10 is not providedwith elements corresponding to the vertical driving lever 41, the secondmoving member 50, the pair of guide bars 51, the driven nut member 52,the second stepping motor 53 and the extension coil spring 54 (see FIG.29). In FIGS. 25 through 32, elements and portions which are similar tothose in the first embodiment of the zoom lens are designated with thesame reference numerals, and the detailed description of such elementsare omitted in the following description.

As shown in FIGS. 27, 28, 30 and 31, the second stepping motor 70 isinstalled in the vicinity of the vertical guide shaft 38, and isprovided with a drive shaft (feed screw) 70 a which extends parallel tothe vertical guide shaft 38. A driven nut member 71 is screw-engagedwith the drive shaft 70 a. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 26, the drivennut member 71 is provided with a rotation restricting groove 71 a whichis slidably fitted on the vertical guide shaft 38, and a female screwhole 71 b which is screw-engaged with the drive shaft 70 a. Rotating thedrive shaft 70 a forward and reverse by driving the second steppingmotor 70 causes the driven nut member 71 to move upwards and downwardsin the y-axis direction along the vertical guide shaft 38. As shown inFIGS. 27, 28, 30 and 31, the driven nut member 71 is in contact with avertical moving frame (an element of a motion guiding device/secondmovable frame/first guiding device/holding frame) 136 (which correspondsto the vertical moving frame 36 in the first embodiment of the zoomlens) from bottom thereof. Due to this structure, driving the secondstepping motor 70 causes the driven nut member 71 to move along thevertical guide shaft 38, thus causing the vertical moving frame 136 tomove along the vertical guide shaft 38. Specifically, moving the drivennut member 71 upward causes the driven nut member 71 to push a lowerbearing portion 136 e of the vertical moving frame 136 upward, so thatthe vertical moving frame 136 moves upward against the biasing force ofthe vertical moving frame biasing spring 39. Conversely, moving thedriven nut member 71 downward causes the vertical moving frame 136 tomove downward together with the driven nut member 71 by the biasingforce of the vertical moving frame biasing spring 39.

The CCD holder 30 is supported by a horizontal moving frame (an elementof the motion guiding device/first movable frame/second guiding device)132 which corresponds to the horizontal moving frame 32 of the firstembodiment of the zoom lens. The horizontal moving frame 132 is providedwith a plate portion 32 f which is formed as a part of the arm portion32 b to extend downward from the arm portion 32 b. The plate portion 32f has a substantially inverted-L shape as viewed from the front of thecamera, and is elongated in the y-axis direction so that the lower endof the plate portion 32 f reaches down to the close vicinity of thelower bearing portion 136 e. Additionally, the vertical moving frame 136is provided at the end of the lower bearing portion 136 e with a plateportion 36 s. As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, two photo sensors 155 and156, each having a light emitter and a light receiver which are spacedapart from each other are installed in the housing 11. The initialposition of the horizontal moving frame 132 can be detected by the photosensor 155 when the plate portion 32 f passes between the light emitterand the light receiver of the photo sensor 155. The plate portion 32 fand the photo sensor 155 constitute a photo interrupter. Likewise, theinitial position of the vertical moving frame 136 can be detected by thephoto sensor 156 when the plate portion 36 s passes between the lightemitter and the light receiver of the photo sensor 156. The plateportion 36 s and the photo sensor 156 constitute a photo interrupter.

The second stepping motor 70 moves the vertical moving frame 136 in they-axis direction within a predetermined range of movement (the range ofmovement for counteracting camera shake) in which the third lens group13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g do not deviate from thephotographing optical axis Z1 in a photographic state of the zoom lens10 between the wide-angle extremity and the telephoto extremity. In thisphotographic state, the driven nut member 71 is located in the vicinityof the lower end of the drive shaft 70 a (see FIGS. 28 and 31).Thereafter, when the zoom lens 10 is retracted upon the main switch 14 dbeing turned off, the second stepping motor 70 moves the driven nutmember 71 upward to the close vicinity of the upper end of the driveshaft 70 a to retract the vertical moving frame 136 to theoff-optical-axis retracted position Z2 (see FIGS. 27 and 30). The driveshaft 70 a is made to serve as a feed screw extending parallel to thevertical guide shaft 38 to be capable of moving the vertical movingframe 136 from the photographing optical axis Z1 to the off-optical-axisretracted position (radially retracted position) Z2. The drive shaft 70a has an axial length longer than the distance between the photographingoptical axis Z1 and the off-optical-axis retracted position Z2 in they-axis direction.

The amount of retracting movement of the vertical moving frame 136 inthe y-axis direction can be determined by counting the driving pulses ofthe second stepping motor 70 from the initial position of the verticalmoving frame 136 that is detected by the photo interrupter that consistsof the plate portion 36 s and the photo sensor 156. The second steppingmotor 70 is stopped upon the number of driving pulses of the secondstepping motor 70 reaching a predetermined number of pulses. In thismanner, the vertical moving frame 136 is radially retracted into theretraction space SP (see FIGS. 1 and 2) in the housing 11. The timing ofthe commencement of the radially retracting operation of the verticalmoving frame 136 and the timing of the termination thereof can be freelyset. For instance, similar to the first embodiment of the zoom lens, theoperation of the second stepping motor 70 can be controlled so that theretracting operation of the zoom lens 10 starts at the angular positionθ2 and is completed at the angular position θ3.

In each of the above described first and second embodiments of the zoomlenses, image stabilization can be carried out by moving a portion ofthe photographing optical system of the zoom lens 10 which includes thethird lens group 13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g in thex-axis direction and the y-axis direction as appropriate, in a planeperpendicular to the photographing optical axis Z1. In addition, whenthe zoom lens 10 changes from a photographic state to anon-photographing state (the retracted state), the vertical moving frame36 is lifted along the y-axis direction by a rotation of the retractinglever 60, which causes a unit consisting of the third lens group 13 e,the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g to retract from a position onthe photographing optical axis Z1 to the off-optical-axis retractedposition Z2. In the second embodiment of the zoom lens, a similarretracting action of the unit consisting of the third lens group 13 e,the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g along the y-axis direction canbe achieved by driving the vertical moving frame 36 by the secondstepping motor 70.

In this manner, the length of the zoom lens 10 can be successivelyreduced to achieve a compact zoom lens during a non-photographing stateby making a part of the optical elements of the photographing opticalsystem perform both a camera shake counteracting operation (imagestabilizing operation) during a photographing operation and the radiallyretracting operation during the retracting operation of the zoom lens 10even though the zoom lens 10 includes the capability of counteractingcamera shake, i.e., image stabilization capability. Specifically, in theretracted state (non-picture taking state) of the zoom lens 10 shown inFIG. 1, in which the image-stabilizing optical elements (the third lensgroup 13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g) are retracted tothe off-optical-axis retracted position Z2 (into the retraction space SPin the housing 11), the second lens group 13 d is retracted into thespace in the housing 11 which is formerly occupied by the opticalelements for image stabilization to thereby achieve a reduction inlength of the zoom lens 10 in the optical axis direction.

In addition, the camera shake counteracting operation (image stabilizingoperation) of the third lens group 13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f andthe CCD 13 g, and the radially retracting operation thereof from thephotographing optical axis Z1 to the off-optical-axis retracted positionZ2 are both carried out by moving these optical elements in a directionperpendicular to the photographing optical axis Z1. Accordingly, thespace necessary for movements of such optical elements can be sharedtherebetween by making the optical elements moved for the image shakecounteracting operation and the optical elements moved for the radiallyretracting operation to be the same optical elements (the third lensgroup 13 e, the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g), which issuperior in regard to space utilization, compared to the case where theoptical elements moved for the image shake counteracting operation aredifferent from the optical elements moved for the radially retractingoperation.

Additionally, since the same optical elements serve as common opticalelements driven in the image shake counteracting operation and driven inthe radially retracting operation, the driving device for the imageshake counteracting operation and the driving device for the radiallyretracting operation can share components with each other, which makesit possible to make the structure of the zoom lens simpler than the casewhere the optical elements moved for the image shake counteractingoperation are different from the optical elements moved for the radiallyretracting operation.

Specifically, in each of the above described embodiments of the zoomlenses, the guide mechanism is simplified by making one drivingdirection for the image shake counteracting operation and the drivingdirection for the radially retracting operation coincident with they-axis direction. Namely, the radially retracting operation of thevertical moving frame (36 or 136) in the y-axis direction from aposition on the photographing optical axis Z1 to the off-optical-axisretracted position Z2 is performed while the vertical moving frame (36or 136) is guided in the y-axis direction by the vertical guide shaft38. The vertical guide shaft 38 is also used as a device for guiding thevertical moving frame (36 or 136) in the y-axis direction in accordancewith rotations of the vertical driving lever 41 and the drive shaft 70 aof the second stepping motor 70 during the image shake counteractingoperation in a photographic state of the zoom lens 10. In other words,if the image stabilizing mechanism side is taken as a reference, thevertical guide shaft 38 is extended upward beyond an upper limit ofmovement for image stabilization so as to be capable of moving thevertical moving frame (36 or 136) to the off-optical-axis retractedposition Z2. Conversely, if the radially-retracting mechanism side istaken as a reference, it is considered that the image shakecounteracting operation is performed by using a part of the range ofmovement of the vertical moving frame (36 or 136) in the y-axisdirection by the vertical guide shaft 38. In this manner, the verticalguide shaft 38 serving as a motion guide mechanism in the y-axisdirection is shared between the image stabilizing mechanism and theradially-retracting mechanism, which reduces the number of elements ofeach of these mechanisms, thus making it possible to achieveminiaturization and weight reduction of the zoom lens 10.

Although the present invention has been described based on the aboveillustrated first and second embodiments, the present invention is notlimited solely to these particular embodiments. For instance, althoughthe above described embodiment is an application to a zoom lens, thepresent invention can be applied to an imaging device other than zoomlens as long as the imaging device operates at least between aphotographic state and an accommodated state (retracted state).

Moreover, the optical element used for both the image shakecounteracting operation and the radially retracting operation is notlimited solely to an image pickup device such as a CCD but can be a lensgroup.

Furthermore, although the optical elements (the third lens group 13 e,the low-pass filter 13 f and the CCD 13 g) for both the image shakecounteracting operation and the radially retracting operation are drivenin two orthogonal linear directions (the x-axis direction and the y-axisdirection) perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographingoptical system in each of the above illustrated embodiments, the drivingdirections of such optical elements are not limited solely to eithersuch linear directions or such directions orthogonal to each other.

Obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiments of the presentinvention described herein, such modifications being within the spiritand scope of the invention claimed. It is indicated that all mattercontained herein is illustrative and does not limit the scope of thepresent invention.

1. An imaging device comprising: an image stabilizer which detectsvibration applied to a photographing optical system and comprises adriver that moves at least one image-stabilizing optical element of saidphotographing optical system in a plane orthogonal to a common opticalaxis of said photographing optical system, in a photographic state, tocounteract image shake in accordance with a direction and a magnitude ofsaid vibration; and a radially-retracting device which comprises another driver that moves said image-stabilizing optical element between aphotographing position, at which said image-stabilizing optical elementis located on said common optical axis in said photographic state, and aradially-retracted position, at which said image-stabilizing opticalelement is radially retracted away from said common optical axis in anon-photographing state, wherein the driver is different from the otherdriver.
 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said imagestabilizer supports said image-stabilizing optical element in a mannerto allow said image-stabilizing optical element to move in two differentdirections in a plane orthogonal to said common optical axis, andwherein said radially-retracting device moves said image-stabilizingoptical element in one of said two different directions.
 3. The imagingdevice according to claim 2, wherein said two different directionscomprise two linear directions orthogonal to each other on said planeorthogonal to said common optical axis.
 4. The imaging device accordingto claim 3, wherein said image stabilizer and said radially-retractingdevice comprise a common linear guide shaft which extends in a directionperpendicular to said common optical axis and which supports saidimage-stabilizing optical element in a manner to allow saidimage-stabilizing optical element to move along said common linear guideshaft.
 5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, when saidimage-stabilizing optical element is in said radially-retractedposition, another optical element enters a space in which saidimage-stabilizing optical element is positioned when in saidphotographing position.
 6. The imaging device according to claim 5,wherein said another optical element is positioned in front of saidimage-stabilizing optical element on said common optical axis in saidphotographic state.
 7. The imaging device according to claim 1, whereinsaid image-stabilizing optical element comprises an image sensorpositioned at an imaging position of said photographing optical system.8. The imaging device according to claim 7, wherein said image sensor isconnected to a flexible PWB allowing said image sensor to move in ahousing of the imaging device.
 9. The imaging device according to claim1, wherein said image-stabilizing optical element comprises a rearmostoptical element of said photographing optical system.
 10. The imagingdevice according to claim 1, wherein said radially-retracting devicemoves said image-stabilizing optical element between said photographingposition and said radially-retracted position in a radial direction ofsaid common optical axis.
 11. An imaging device comprising: aphotographing optical system including at least one movable opticalelement; and a motion guiding device which supports said movable opticalelement to allow said movable optical element to move in a firstdirection and a second direction in a plane orthogonal to a commonoptical axis of said photographing optical system, said first directionand said second direction being non-parallel to each other, wherein saidmotion guiding device guides said movable optical element in one of saidfirst direction and said second direction to allow said movable opticalelement to move between a photographing position in which said movableoptical element is located on said common optical axis and aradially-retracted position in which said movable optical element isradially retracted away from said common optical axis.
 12. The imagingdevice according to claim 11, further comprising: a switching device forselecting between a photographic state and a non-photographing state; animage-shake detection sensor for detecting a magnitude and a directionof vibration applied to said photographing optical system; aradial-retraction device for moving said movable optical element to saidradially-retracted position and said photographing position via saidmotion guiding device when said non-photographing state and saidphotographic state are selected by said switching device, respectively;and an image shake counteracting driving device which moves said movableoptical element in said first direction and said second direction so asto counteract said vibration in accordance with an output of saidimage-shake detection sensor when said movable optical element is insaid photographing position.
 13. The imaging device according to claim12, wherein said image shake counteracting driving device comprises atleast one stepping motor.
 14. The imaging device according to claim 11,wherein said first direction and said second direction comprise firstand second linear directions, respectively, orthogonal to each other onsaid plane orthogonal to said common optical axis.
 15. The imagingdevice according to claim 14, wherein said motion guiding devicecomprises: a first movable frame which supports said movable opticalelement; a second movable frame which supports said first movable framein a manner to allow said first movable frame to move in one of saidfirst linear direction and said second linear direction; and a linearguide shaft which supports said second movable frame in a manner toallow said second movable frame to move in the other of said firstlinear direction and said second linear direction.
 16. The imagingdevice according to claim 11, wherein, when said movable optical elementis moved to said radially-retracted position via said motion guidingdevice, another optical element enters a space in which said movableoptical element in said photographing position is positioned.
 17. Theimaging device according to claim 11, wherein said movable opticalelement comprises an image sensor positioned at an imaging position ofsaid photographing optical system.
 18. The imaging device according toclaim 17, wherein said image sensor is connected to a flexible PWBallowing said image sensor to move in a housing of the imaging device.19. The imaging device according to claim 11, wherein said movableoptical element comprises a rearmost optical element of saidphotographing optical system.
 20. The imaging device according to claim11, wherein said motion guiding device comprises a pair of linear guideshafts extending perpendicular to each other.
 21. An imaging devicecomprising: an image sensor positioned at an imaging position of aphotographing optical system; a first guiding device which supports saidimage sensor in a manner to allow said image sensor to move linearly ina first direction in a plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of saidphotographing optical system between a photographing position, in whichsaid image sensor is located on said common optical axis, and aradially-retracted position in which said image sensor is radiallyretracted away from said common optical axis; a second guiding devicewhich supports said image sensor in a manner to allow said image sensorto move linearly in a second direction perpendicular to said firstdirection in said plane orthogonal to said common optical axis; aradial-retraction device for moving said image sensor to saidradially-retracted position and to said photographing position via saidfirst guiding device in a non-photographing state and a photographicstate, respectively; and an image shake counteracting driving devicewhich moves said image sensor in said first direction and said seconddirection to counteract image shake in accordance with vibration appliedto said photographing optical system when said image sensor is in saidphotographing position.
 22. The imaging device according to claim 21,wherein said first guiding device comprises: a linear guide shaft whichextends in a direction perpendicular to said common optical axis; and aholding frame which supports said image sensor and is supported by saidlinear guide shaft to be slidable thereon.
 23. The imaging deviceaccording to claim 22, wherein said second guiding device comprises: anorthogonal moving frame which supports said image sensor and issupported by said holding frame to be allowed to move in a directionorthogonal to said linear guide shaft.
 24. The imaging device accordingto claim 21, wherein said first guiding device comprises a biasingdevice for biasing said image sensor in a direction from saidradially-retracted position to said photographing position.
 25. Theimaging device according to claim 24, wherein said first guiding devicecomprises: a linear guide shaft which extends in a directionperpendicular to said common optical axis; and a holding frame whichsupports said image sensor and is supported by said linear guide shaftto be slidable thereon, wherein said biasing device comprises anextension spring extending substantially parallel to said linear guideshaft.
 26. The imaging device according to claim 21, wherein, when saidimage sensor is in said radially-retracted position, another opticalelement enters a space in which said image sensor is positioned when insaid photographing position.
 27. The imaging device according to claim21, wherein said image sensor is a rearmost optical element of saidphotographing optical system.
 28. The imaging device according to claim11, wherein said motion guide device comprises a driver that moves saidmovable optical element in the first and second directions; and saidmotion guiding device comprises an other driver that moves said movableoptical element between the photographing position and theradially-retracted position, the driver being different from the otherdriver.
 29. The imaging device according to claim 21, wherein said firstguiding device comprises a driver that moves said image sensor; and saidradial retraction device comprises an other driver, the driver beingdifferent from the other driver.
 30. An imaging device comprising: animage stabilizer which detects vibration applied to a photographingoptical system and comprises a driver that moves at least oneimage-stabilizing optical element of said photographing optical systemin a plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of said photographingoptical system, in a photographic state, to counteract image shake inaccordance with a direction and a magnitude of said vibration; and aradially-retracting device which comprises an other driver that movessaid image-stabilizing optical element between a photographing position,at which said image-stabilizing optical element is located on saidcommon optical axis in said photographic state, and a radially-retractedposition, at which said image-stabilizing optical element is radiallyretracted such that a center of the image stabilizing optical element isspaced from said common optical axis, in a non-photographing state, thedriver being different from the other driver.
 31. An imaging devicecomprising: an image stabilizer which detects vibration applied to aphotographing optical system and moves at least one image-stabilizingoptical element of said photographing optical system in a planeorthogonal to a common optical axis of said photographing opticalsystem, in a photographic state, to counteract image shake in accordancewith a direction and a magnitude of said vibration; and aradially-retracting device which moves said image-stabilizing opticalelement between a photographing position, at which saidimage-stabilizing optical element is located on the common optical axisin said photographic state, and a radially-retracted position, at whichsaid image-stabilizing optical element is radially retracted away fromthe common optical axis in a non-photographing state, wherein said imagestabilizer supports said image-stabilizing optical element in a mannerto allow the image-stabilizing optical element to move in two differentdirections in a plane orthogonal to the common optical axis, and whereinsaid radially-retracting device moves said image-stabilizing opticalelement in one of the two different directions wherein said twodifferent directions comprise two linear directions orthogonal to eachother on the plane orthogonal to the common optical axis.
 32. An imagingdevice comprising: an image stabilizer which detects vibration appliedto a photographing optical system and moves at least oneimage-stabilizing optical element of said photographing optical systemin a plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of said photographingoptical system, in a photographic state, to counteract image shake inaccordance with a direction and a magnitude of said vibration; and aradially-retracting device which moves said image-stabilizing opticalelement between a photographing position, at which saidimage-stabilizing optical element is located on the common optical axisin said photographic state, and a radially-retracted position, at whichsaid image-stabilizing optical element is radially retracted away fromthe common optical axis in a non-photographing state; wherein, when saidimage-stabilizing optical element is in said radially-retractedposition, another optical element enters a space in which saidimage-stabilizing optical element is positioned when in saidphotographing position.
 33. An imaging device comprising: an imagestabilizer which detects vibration applied to a photographing opticalsystem and moves at least one image-stabilizing optical element of saidphotographing optical system in a plane orthogonal to a common opticalaxis of said photographing optical system, in a photographic state, tocounteract image shake in accordance with a direction and a magnitude ofsaid vibration; and a radially-retracting device which moves saidimage-stabilizing optical element between a photographing position, atwhich said image-stabilizing optical element is located on the commonoptical axis in said photographic state, and a radially-retractedposition, at which said image-stabilizing optical element is radiallyretracted away from the common optical axis in a non-photographingstate, wherein said image-stabilizing optical element comprises an imagesensor positioned at an imaging position of said photographing opticalsystem.
 34. An imaging device comprising: an image stabilizer whichdetects vibration applied to a photographing optical system and moves atleast one image-stabilizing optical element of said photographingoptical system in a plane orthogonal to a common optical axis of saidphotographing optical system, in a photographic state, to counteractimage shake in accordance with a direction and a magnitude of saidvibration; and a radially-retracting device which moves saidimage-stabilizing optical element between a photographing position, atwhich said image-stabilizing optical element is located on the commonoptical axis in said photographic state, and a radially-retractedposition, at which said image-stabilizing optical element is radiallyretracted away from the common optical axis in a non-photographingstate, wherein said image-stabilizing optical element comprises arearmost optical element of said photographing optical system.